Hawaiian Airlines, which is in the process of being fully integrated into Alaska Airlines, has just unveiled new inflight collectables for passengers traveling on Hawaiian Airlines branded aircraft.
Hawaiian Jumps into the Trading Card Trend
We’ve seen other airlines, like Delta, begin passing out trading cards onboard their flights to avgeeks who ask the pilot before or after a trip. Now, Hawaiian Airlines is jumping on the trend with four unique cards representing the airline’s four different aircraft types.
Beginning November 12, 2025, guests on Hawaiian Airlines flights can ask pilots for a card; featuring either the Boeing 717, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330 or Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Each card includes facts about the aircraft as well as a signature space for those that want to get the pilot’s autograph.
Captain Larry Payne, Hawaiian Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC) chair of ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association) and a Boeing 787-9 Captain, said this about the introduction of the new cards:
“These cards were designed in collaboration with our pilots and embody ALPA’s mission to promote and champion all aspects of aviation. They’re more than collectibles — they give guests a chance to learn about Hawaiian Airlines aircraft and connect with the pilots who operate them. We’re proud to partner with Hawaiian in sharing our passion for flying and inspiring future aviators.”
The press release notes that pilots may not have every card on hand as they are given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
In an Industry First, Digital Cards are Here
While I’m not big on having a bunch of extra junk in my wallet, or collecting any sort of trading card for that matter, I do love data. Now, Hawaiian Airlines is giving passengers the opportunity to collect digital cards that represent all 66 aircraft in the Hawaiian Airlines fleet (I’m curious as to how this will work as Hawaiian transfers its Boeing 787 fleet to Alaska).
Each card design is unique and inspired by the name that is given to each aircraft. Hawaiian’s Boeing 717s are named after native birds, Boeing 787s and Airbus A330s after stars or constellations used by Polynesian voyagers for celestial navigation, and Airbus A321neos after native plants and forests.
If I was a Hawaiian frequent flyer, this is definitely something I’d keep track of. Heck, I track all of my KLM houses via their app and log all of my flights in an Excel spreadsheet as well as in the Flighty app. Hawaiian provided the following instructions for collecting the digital cards:
- Look for the aircraft name plate located near the main boarding door and find the NFC tag.
- Unlock your smartphone and tap it against the NFC tag (having your camera on is not necessary).
- Guests will be directed to visit and sign into pilotcards.hawaiianairlines.com.
- If you’re collecting a card for the first time, an animation of a digital card pack will appear, and you can learn about the story behind your aircraft’s name.
- The card will be stored in your digital binder, which you can return to whenever you want.
Passengers can collect a digital card throughout their flight while connected to the airline’s complimentary high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi. Those traveling on its Boeing 717 fleet, which isn’t Wi-Fi equipped, can collect while boarding or deplaning using their cellular data.
Hawaiian Introduces Wings for Children
I was surprised when working on this article that Hawaiian didn’t already have these but, the carrier is now stocking clip on Keiki (Children’s) Wings onboard. The wings are branded with the Hawaiian Airlines logo as well as the words “Future Crew”.
Parents can request a pair from their flight attendant while onboard the aircraft, though supply is limited.
Summary
Hawaiian Airlines has introduced three new collectable items that are available exclusively in flight. While the cards and wings may be interesting to the kids, I’m most impressed by the digital cards for each aircraft. Hopefully this doesn’t slow down the boarding process but it is neat for Hawaiian avgeeks to easily track what aircraft they’ve flown.
(Images courtesy Alaska Airlines)